In April 2008, he came equal first with 7/9 points and fourth on tie-break at the tenth Dubai Open.[8]
In May 2008, he came joint first on points (8.0/11) and first on tie-break at the second Philippine International Open in Subic Bay Freeport Zone.
In August 2008, he won the fifth IGB Dato' Arthur Tan Malaysia Open with 9/11.[9]
In the following month, he competed at the fifth Russia v China Match in Ningbo where he scored 3/5 with a performance rating of 2767 for the men's team (with Wang Yue, Wang Hao, Ni Hua, Bu Xiangzhi).[10]

In 2010, Li Chao won the Corus C tournament at Wijk aan Zee (15 January - 31 January) scoring 10/13. The victory qualified him for the 2011 Corus Group B, later renamed Tata Steel Chess Tournament Group B. A few months later, in April 2010, he convincingly won the 48th Doeberl Cup held in Canberra, Australia. Li won this latter event again in 2013.

Li Chao played for Beijingchess club in the China Chess League.[25] In August 2015, Grandmaster Ian Rogers reported that Li Chao had been banned for more than a year from all Chinese teams and tournaments, resulting from a dispute with a sponsor of a Beijing club.[26]